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Female

From a very young age, I had taken part in various sports throughout my childhood. Sports including; football; netball; cricket; swimming; athletics and many more. I participated in many school competitions and placed high in the majority of them. As I was the only girl involved around sports at a young age, teachers also saw my potential and made me compete with the boys, and I always played with boys growing up which helped me gain strength and speed as they play with a higher intensity. My dad was never keen on me playing with them due to their game being quite physical so he made me join a girls football team at the age of 8. I eventually made friends which I progressed with from a young age to now which made me enjoy the game more, and now also attend the same university with, so the social side was also a major factor that made me enjoy playing football. With the majority of my family being involved in football, they were very supportive of me growing up, especially my dad, whether that meant taking me to my training sessions, and coming to my games he always pushed me to reach my full potential. I progressed over the years where at 17 I joined Watford Ladies and a year later making my international debut for Albania u19. And now currently still playing for both Watford and Internationally where I have been named on the first team squad for both recently.

In regards to Stevenson's article,  it highlights the important role sponsorship's play in athletes' success. My father played an influential role in my football career as he made sure I made every training session, every match locally and regionally, and any extra hours he thought I needed to reach my full potential. My teachers in school growing up also acted as sponsors, who aided me massively in keeping me motivated and dedicated throughout my time at school. Stevenson also mentions that siblings can be sponsors, which my brother being only a year older than me who also had interest in football helped me over the years growing up as we pushed each other to be the best we could be. With us both attending the same schools, being in the boys team where he also was involved in made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. Therefore, sponsors play a vital role when participating in sport, with my family playing a huge role in my involvement in sport, I was able to improve and progress over the years therefore making it essential to have at least one sponsorship. As it makes success and more opportunities occur much easier.

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Male

From the age of 4 I started playing football, I was pushed to play as my dad had played a high level previous to having kids. I fell out of love with the club I was at and therefore the sport. One day my dads friend told my dad to take me to rugby training. I barely understood the rules but have fond memories of the coach who I still have regular contact with socially and making lots of friends despite being very quiet. I played through the age groups until I was 16 when I started playing higher levels and was unable to continue playing for my original club. From there I spent 3 years with London Irish Academy where I played U16/17 and 18s. I then looked further afield and was selected to play for Hong Kong where I now captain the U20's side and look to progress into the first team in the next year or so.

Stevensons research suggest family plays a huge role in the progression and action in sports from a young age. this applies to my situation due to help my parents have given me and pushing me into rugby and continuing to support me.

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Female

From the age of 6 I had taken part in every sport possible through my school.  It wasn't until I chose a specific sport (athletics) did I start competing competitively and eventually joining the borough team.  My teachers encouraged competitive sport whereas my family encouraged only playing for self benefit and school purposes.  This lead to stopping competitive sports within my first year of high school. After my year 7 sports day the love for competition returned as I was told that I had a talent and it should not be wasted. I began to train on a weekly basis and join the borough team again.  With a strong PE department  in high school I was able to develop new skills in sports I had never tried before, such as netball. This progressed onto being team captain. Currently, I am a kids sports coach and only encourage the best energy and support I can give. Making sure that they are exposed to a range of equipment to experiment with and find they favourites.

In relation to the Stevenson article, sponsorship was found for athletes from members of their family or friends who showed their support for their role in the sporting environment.  It also suggests that it wasn't until the athlete found their sporting identity did commitment fully take place. This can be applied to my experience as I was surrounded by mixed emotions and careers around sport which led to eventually stopping for a period of time and not on trying to progress onto a national or recognised level.

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Female

My whole life I have played sports as I came from a very sporty family. I started Ballet when I was 6, Athletics when I was 6, Swimming when I was 8. I found my love for Rugby when I was 12 and have been playing ever since. I was one of the only girls who played on the team as I played with boys, which was a big change for me as I mostly always trained/ played with girls. It all seemed normal at the time as all the parents and boys were very accepting of me, and some of them are still my closest friends to date. My parents have always been the most supportive people of me with rugby, and have never missed one of my matches. As I moved over to England from Ireland, I found myself becoming more independent and growing as an individual, but they always still try come over when possible to watch my games as I play at the highest level possible.
As a women's team, we don't get the support men's teams would, so we have to work hard as a team to work several jobs at a time, and travel to training without getting paid. At the end of the day, I play rugby because I love the sport, and I feel so much happier being a part of the rugby world.

Stevenson's research has shown that having friends and family can make the change to a new sport a lot easier, and especially in my life I have developed extremely well with the support of my family and the people around me. Due to these support networks, I have been able to get and seize the opportunities I have been given, such as currently playing at a Premiership level, and I use this research to relate to my own personal experience. Without my family, I wouldn't of hit the success I have in my career.

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Female

From a very young age my parents signed me up to multiple sport clubs ranging from athletics to gymnastics and trampolining. I was always encouraged to participate in sport by my family, but was always told to do it if I enjoyed it. As I became older and school started I dropped out of certain clubs and focused on athletics which I showed love and talent for the most. My main focus was track until my athletics club notice i had more potential within a field event, discus. From the age of 14/15 I focussed my training for discus mainly but still competed in different sports my school.

Stevenson's research article states that more successful athletes received support from peers, family members and friends.  Both my parents supported me with travel, funding and most importantly support. They took me to all my training sessions three times a week and would always attend all my competitions all across the country. I also have a very supportive coach and training partners who push me to my potential whilst also making training sessions fun and enjoyable. My school also supported me within my athletics by allowing me use of there facilities, showing there encouragement and interest in my athletic achievements too. With all this support at the age of 17 I became international within my discus which I believe was only achievable due to the support network I had around me, which encouraged me to train hard to achieve this.

However, in the summer of 2019 at the age of 18  I sustained a major injury which resulted in a huge surgery, my hip to be replaced. This effected my mentality and progression within sport as I missed a whole year.

Stevenson's stated within his articles that athletes who are injured can be taken advantage of and opportunities can be taken from this. I personally have experienced this as many peers within my sport did take these opportunities to progress which is only naturally but I was very excluded and lost a lot of opportunities from this injury such as; sponsorships, further international competitions and also the social side of sport. However, with the support of my school, coach, training partners and most of all parents, I was able to recover quickly from this injury and start to make a come back to the sport. With my support network supporting me in my choices, adapting my training and also making my sport enjoyable again.

Stevenson's article states that family and friends support can allow success in sport to be easier. Using my own personal experience I believe this to be true that without my families support at a young age to now I would not be where I am within my sport or be able to make a come back to my sport after injury without my support network, therefore making it essential to have one, to create these opportunities for athletes.

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Male

Since i can rememeber i have been in love with football watching it and playing it in school in the park on the street in the long corridor in our flat i was obssesed, despite the fact no one in my family has a sporting background i was enamored with this beautiful sport. i was involved with my school football team in primary school and through the mayors cup i was scouted for brentford FCs academy where i played from age 9 to 16 when i was forced to stop as i had tore my acl and although my pro dream ended i still love playing football with my friends.

Stevensons research suggest family plays a big role in the progression in sports from a young age. this doesnt apply to me as my parents werent invested in sports however it was my friends who got me to watch highlights on youtube which triggered my love for the sport

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Female

I started doing sports from a young age. My mum signed me up for a lot of clubs that I was interested in and encouraged me to be active. At the age of 9 I attended a primary school athletics competition and won all the events I competed in. After this my PE teacher decided to take me to the local athletics club for training and since then I've been training regularly. I also started basketball in primary school but really improved in secondary school. My PE teacher recognised my talent and I was put on the team which was only males. He then later on took me to a basketball club that played at high level. I still participate in both sports today but take athletics more seriously.

In regards to Stevenson's article, my family played an influential role as my mother encouraged me to participate in sports by allowing me to join after school clubs at a young age. Furthermore, my mother took me to every training session, match and competition growing up and supported me. This helped me stay committed to the sports to this day. Also, my teachers also acted as sponsors as they both took me to clubs for each sport which aided me massively in keeping dedicated to these sports.

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Female

I started doing sports from a young age. My mum signed me up for a lot of clubs that I was interested in and encouraged me to be active. At the age of 9 I attended a primary school athletics competition and won all the events I competed in. After this my PE teacher decided to take me to the local athletics club for training and since then I've been training regularly. I also started basketball in primary school but really improved in secondary school. My PE teacher recognised my talent and I was put on the team which was only males. He then later on took me to a basketball club that played at high level. I still participate in both sports today but take athletics more seriously.

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Male

From the age of 5 I had started playing rugby for my local club. My biggest  influence for me getting started with Rugby is definitely my dad. He use to play at a high level before he needed 6 knee operations and couldn't play again. Rugby has just been in the family for years. At the beginning Rugby use just to be a bit of fun and a run around along with other sports I use to do like boxing and football but the older I have got the more serious rugby has got too.I played county Rugby for Surrey when I was 13; from that I got selected in the Harlequins academy that I was involved with for 5 years, I managed to get a scholarship to Whitgift School that is one of the best rugby playing schools in the country, and I have also played for England u16 and England u18. currently I am now in the Ealing Trailfinders 1st xv squad.

Stevenson article suggest that family plays an influential role in children participating in sport.This is true for me because for as long as I can remember my parents have always taken me to training sessions or training camps wherever they are in the country and always helped me have what I needed to play.

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Female

I started playing Football at the age of 11 when my primary school teacher encouraged me to join a local league club that some of the girls in my class were ready involved with. Unfortunately, my mother wasn't always supportive of me playing sports. This affected how often I participated at the beginning and it wasn't as enjoyable with the lack of sponsorship from home.
I then got relocated houses and my new family encouraged me to take part in a variety of sports i.e. Basketball, Athletics, Football, Gymnastics and Dance. I did those until GCSE's and decided to stick to Football and Basketball as it was too big of a commitment to do all of them at once with exams. I enjoyed exercising and meeting different people in the different environments I was in. Although I was able to participate in all these sports, there wasn't a lot of opportunities to progress in my area as a girl and I was already playing basketball for the county and regional level for Football in my area.
I started training with the men's Basketball team when I was in year 9 and I enjoyed it more because it was more intense and I could push myself more. I became dedicated and was training a lot outside practice hours and when I wasn't training for football which is my other sport. I was always back and forth about which I preferred because people said I was better at Football and would go further with it than Basketball, but I always enjoyed basketball more.
Stevenson's Research highlights that support from family and peers play a crucial role in an individuals's initial involvement in sport. I feel this links to my journey and it came to a point I had to decide how far I wanted to go with my sports; this lead to me deciding which I would dedicate most of my time to in order to achieve success.

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Female

From a young age I was always encouraged to play sports by my school peers and family. I played a wide variety of sports ranging from cricket to basketball. Initially, I was a football player, I enjoyed the sport. However, my primary school lacked many girls competitive teams, so I was unable to play football. I decided to join the school first mixed basketball team. It didn't take long before I fell in love with the sport. I started to dedicate myself to the sport by going to all the training sessions, I started attending local summer camps to get better and progress at my sport. I continued playing basketball throughout secondary school, and inspired the school to make a girls basketball team as I was so passionate. I played in my first Men's game in Y10, this being the only time that had occurred ever.

In Sixth Form, I joined a Men's basketball academy and competed  and had many minutes. Through Sixth Form is where my dedication really escalated as i spent all of my free time training to get better and even receiving qualifications such as Basketball Coaching, Basketball Referee and table officiating.  coached 4-16 years old a couple times a week for 4 years. I eventually joined two women's playing at different levels, I committed myself to the sport completely spending almost all my time playing it, training or coaching it. Before coming to University, I injured myself severely, and tore the cartilage around my knee, since then I've struggled to get back to play at my physical peak again.

Stevenson's research stated that family members and friends support make beginners transition into new sports a lot easier, family sponsorship is usually a influential reason why a lot of people have experienced sports at a young age. From personal experience, my family helped me get into sport as my mum would take me to many basketball camps and would come watch my games which increased my drive to participate and compete in basketball.

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Female

I started playing sports from a very young age, I played in a wide variety of sports ranging from cricket to basketball. From young, I was encouraged to play sport from school peers and family. Initially, I was a football player, however my primary school lacked girls competitive sports teams, so i decided to join the school first mixed basketball team. It didn't take long for me to love the sport, I started to practice all the time, dedicating most of my free time into getting better and going to local basketball summer camps. My family were quite supportive of me playing basketball, I played throughout secondary school, and became the first female to play in a men's game in my school. As the years went on my commitment to basketball increased, i started coaching young children between the ages of 4-16 for about 4 years, I also received my basketball refereeing and table officiating qualifications.

I joined a Men's basketball academy in sixth form and played in many games which helped progress me to the next level, after leaving that men's team I joined 2 female teams that were competing at different levels. I completely dedicated myself to playing basketball. Before coming to this University

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Male

I began playing football from 5 years old at primary school. by the age of 8 I was encouraged by my parents to take up cross country running, which was something then did frequently. I joined my first football team aged 8 and haven't been out of a team since. football has played a massive part in my life as I've been playing week in, week out for the best part of 12 years.

Stevens research:
Stevens research suggests that family plays a massive role in influencing their children to get in to sport from a young age, this is something I can relate to as my family were very supportive when it came to sport, especially my dad who would make sure that I attended training on time and didn't miss a session. this helped me massively, to get to where I am today.

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Male
I came into rugby slightly, late due to playing football from a young age however, I started playing rugby aged 11. I began rugby due to my brother being a coach at the local club where he had played for many years. My brother was the biggest influence for me in sport seeing as he was the only rugby player in the family. Rugby began to progress for me when I was 13 and was called up to the county set-up, I represented my county for four years. This led to me being called up to London and south east England under18s where I would then go on to trial for England counties. Being involved in this set up led to me joining the Ealing Trailfinders and Brunel scholarship program where I would hope to progress and take my sport to the next level.

Stevenson's research shows that family plays a huge role in getting you involved in sport, I agree with this due to my family being highly sporty and introducing me to the sport. This meant I had the support and confidence to progress and succeed.

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Male

For as long as I can remember rugby has been my passion. There is even a picture of me at my parents wedding (age 1) running around with a rugby ball. My parents were probably the biggest influences on me to pursue rugby as they both play, coach, referee and are involved with multiple clubs  so naturally i got involved too. I tried other sports at school, such as tennis, athletics, cricket, football, hockey etc, and enjoyed them but i found that the one sport that also made me excited to get involved with was rugby so i took every opportunity i could to get my boots on and play. As i got older and understood the game better i started to analyse whatever game i was watching and eventually got into coaching as well as playing. At 13, i was accepted into the Harlequins Rugby Academy until i was 17 which gave me my first exposure to more serious and professional style of rugby. I also learned that the process of being a professional can be ruthless and despite having a better skill set (in my opinion) i was released from the academy due to my size , or lack there of. After that I focussed on playing first team rugby for my school consistently and play well to improve all aspects of my game to make up for my apparent lack in physical development. Once I left school I played in New Zealand for a year because i wanted to surround myself with athletes and a culture that produces some of the best rugby players in the world and now i am part of the Ealing Trailfinders and Brunel rugby programme.
My aim is to go professional in the sport and replicate the success of the athletes I've grown to admire around the world.

My own experience of getting involved in rugby is similar to the findings from Stevenson's article. As my initial introduction to the game was because my parents, most of my friends and family members all played and I found that I wanted to be like them so you could say that one of the reasons I want to succeed is to receive that acknowledgment from them,  However as I got older and developed my physiological and cognitive abilities i found that my reasons for playing changed. I now play the game, not just because I love it, but like the subjects in Stevenson's article. I want to succeed and become a professional rugby player and enjoy the perks that come with it such as the sponsorships, money, status etc, as well as being able to play the sport i love as a career. However, I also want to prove to the people that overlooked me or said I was too small that they were wrong about me.

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Male

Sport became a massive part of my life from a very young age. I started Tennis and Rugby at the age of 6, I had tried to start rugby at a younger age but was sent away and told to come back when I was 6. In Primary school I was seen as an exceptional sportsman, representing my school in just about every sport possible at as county level. This lead to me getting noticed by the local media and presented with the Young Sportsman of the Year award by the Major at a presentation evening.
This continued into secondary school where I captained my year for Rugby, Tennis and Basketball. My main passion was sport and as long as I was participating I was content as a person. However, at the age of 12 my regional Tennis coach called a meeting with myself and my parents, in which we were told I showed great potential and had a chance to make it professional but in order to have the best chance for this I would need to move to America or Spain and start training in their performance squads rather than in England. Although, this was a great opportunity my family wasn't in a financial position where we could take this risk and I was the youngest of three children which meant we couldn't make this massive lifestyle change. After this minor set back I lost some of my passion for Tennis and focused my efforts into rugby where I represented my School, Club, County and a Professional Academy. Which in time lead to me being part of the Ealing Trailfinders programme and joining Brunel University.

Stevenson's research portrays that sponsorships have a big role to play with getting people participating in new sports. Through my own experiences, I must agree with this idea as I was heavily supported by both of my parents who encouraged me a tremendous amount and gave me the equipment I needed and got me to thousands of different training sessions locally but also regionally. However, my father has explained to me before that he dropped out of sport around the age of 14 because his parents had no interest in sport and he had to find his own ways of getting to sporting events and had no support or backing from his parents.
Stevenson also implies that when making a decision about how far we take sport two factors play a major role "potential for success'' and ''people''. As described above I have been through the tough decision of how far do I take a sport. Therefore by my own experiences, I believe potential for success does play a role in how far we take a sport but only a small amount as I still play Tennis at a fairly high level and I cannot see myself not playing Tennis any time soon as a still enjoy the sport and the different people it brings me into contact with. I believe financial aid from sponsorships is one of the most important factors to look at when it comes to if someone can make it to a professional level in a sport that isn't widely available like Tennis, Golf, Squash and Equestrian as they require lots of money for equipment, memberships and transport to events.

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Male

I began boxing at 17 however first got introduced into sport at age 6 when my dad put me into judo as he had also done it when he was younger and wanted me to learn how to defend myself. I trained and competed in judo till I was about 14 and did well but it was only recreational for me and I didn’t enjoy it that much towards the end.  At 17 I began training in boxing because it was always something I had wanted to try but also because my dad had competed in boxing when he was younger as well. I’ve been training in it since and it’s now the only sport I do. Earlier this year I won the BUCS boxing championships and hope to be able to compete again soon.

Stevenson’s work showed that parental sponsorship is often the most important and influences what sport an individual participated in from an early age. This was definitely the case for me as without my dad’s influence I wouldn’t have taken part in judo when I was young and maybe not even boxing at a later age, both sports which he had also done.

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Female

I only started participating in sporting activities after joining secondary school. My parents and family do not participate in sport so never encouraged me to participate either.

However, my secondary school gave high importance to physical activity and my form tutor was also the head of the PE department which made me take an interest in sports. Being an all-girls school meant netball was one of the most popular sports and I started playing in Year 9.

My relationship entanglements with my friends was one of the main reasons I was drawn to netball, as they also played, but after joining after school sessions with them, I started further enjoying the sport and the sense of being part of a team. This encouraged me to continue to the point of playing matches at county level.

Stevenson’s article discusses interactionism and the importance of the connections you have with others on the decisions you make, specifically talking about athletes’ involvements with their sport.

Although most of what Stevenson states relates to my experience, especially the importance of sponsorships in the introduction and early commitment to the sports, entanglements, commitments and reputations and identities were not enough for me to deepen my dedication to netball, and I stopped playing after finishing my a levels and leaving the school. Even during the time I played, the lack of sponsorship from my family caused me to not progress further than county level performance and my sense of commitment was not enough.

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Male

Since I was young I loved sports and throughout my life I particpated in different sports such as Judo, Football, Handball and many more. When I got to the age of 14, I started Athletics and it became that sport I wished to compete in for years to come. I was always fast when I was young so I saw myself being being good at the sport , as well as wanting to be the fastest in my school. Another reason as I was influenced to start Atheltics was watching the olmypics and World Championships, as to compete on the biggest stages made me want to be like them. The reasoning to my committment in Athletics is that I want to perform to the best of my ability and i hope to compete at international level in the future.

Stevenson's research conveys that having sponsors from either your friends, family or a coach makes the transition into a new sport easier. Whereas not having that support from your family makes harder to get into that sport. I have experienced not having support when I used to have constant injuries when i was younger, family didn't help as much and it stopped me from doing sport for about 2 years, which proves that Steveson's statement is correct.

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Female (rugby)
I started at the local rugby club that my brother played for when I was 5 years old. I was the only girl on the team but because I was so young it didn't seem like a big deal as all of the team and the parents accepted me into the the team and knew I would train and play at the same level as the boys. As I grew older I had to move into the girls pathway being selected for county, regional and national age group levels. Although my parents were supportive of me playing rugby, as i've become more serious about the game, I have been able to self-motivate myself train and play as much as I do. Now I play for Wasps ladies and I am in England u20s however we get no financial support and our s&c, psychological, medical etc resources are extremely limited. As a team we push each other whilst juggling jobs and education so it makes us a lot stronger and we want to get that starting shirt so we commit most of our days to training despite having no financial benefit. So, I play rugby because I have always been passionate about the sport. Hopefully in a few years we will start to be paid or even have travel paid for!

Stevensons research shows having support from your family and friends can make a transition into a new sport easier. In my sporting life I have been able to play and succeed in lots of sports as my support networks allowed me to develop social skills as well as the fundamental skills that are in the majority of sports.
The results of Stevenson's research shows only 11 participants showed immediate commitment to a sport. I would fit into this minority category as rugby was the first sport i ever played and now I compete at premiership level.

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Female

I was introduced to a variety of sports from a very early age. Through primary school I involved myself in any sport available. At the age of 9 I was given an opportunity to attend a netball club. This is where I decided to continue netball and have been committed to playing ever since. My family, specifically my Dad has always been a big influence in my participation in sport and staying physically active. My sister and I both showed a keen interest in netball and therefore my parents supported us by driving us to training and matches. Whilst also supporting us financially when we were young to allow us to play weekly in leagues.

Stevenson's research shows that without sponsorships it is more difficult to introduce people into sports. This is highlighted through my experience as support from family members had a major impact in me being able to fully invest in a sport and be able to progress along that sports pathway. Stevenson also mentions about making decisions based on the success that the sport offers. However, I oppose Stevenson's findings as I played football for many years then progressed to county level for 3 years. Before leaving for university I had to choose one sport to invest my time in. Even though I played at a higher level on the sports pathway in football. I enjoyed playing netball more and therefore chose to continue playing netball.

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Female

Since Primary school I have been a passionate and keen sports student. I participated in numerous sports clubs during, after school, and weekends. Dedicating a lot of my time to physical activity from a young age,. Around the age of 9 I was introduced into Netball. Since then I have kept engaged, through dedication in matches to go for the win every time, commitment to training every week, even in the harsh weather conditions and simply the pure love for Netball.

My experiences oppose Stevenson's findings that individuals are introduced to sport by sponsorships. My parents were not, and are still not sporty,  did not participate in sport and did not have the love for sport that I do. However, they have always supported my love for Netball wholeheartedly and financially. This opposes Stevensons findings as I am currently playing Netball for University  and my club in a captains role, studying a sports science degree and while working in an all female gym. My life has and will continue to surround sports, health and physical activity all without sponsorships from family in my environment.

My story for how I started my Netball journey is unlike others. Contradicting Stevensons research and findings, I did not have a sporty role model to admire, I do not come from a sporty family and for Netball itself, it is not advertised, streamed or supported by the media nor the public, to the likes of football. Therefore, being a young female trying to make a mark in the sporting industry, playing competitively and studying a sports science degree it has been somewhat challenging to not have easily accessible role models or opportunities as much as a male footballer may have had.

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Male

I was introduced to a number of sports including rugby and cricket from the age of six, however football always stood out for me. I was introduced to football by my dad, as he used to take me to Liverpool games from a young age. From the age of six, my dad has had an immense impact on my participation in football, as well as the likes of Steven Gerrard who was my main role model in football growing up. My love for playing the game really began at lunch times at school with my friends where small sides games took place, as well as in the local park enjoying a kick about with my dad. This led to me having the desire to take part in training sessions and matches at my local club.

Stevenson’s article states that individuals are introduced to sports through sponsorships, such as parents and friends and this was definitely the case for me. My dad always encouraged me to take part in other sports as well as football. Another main focus of mine throughout my childhood was cricket and I went onto play for Berkshire after having trials. I always preferred football to cricket, so in the end I resulted in committing my focus to football, purely for enjoyment reasons as I would have had much more of a chance being successful in cricket due to playing at a higher level. Although I am not able to play football as much nowadays, due to time and work, my love for the game has not vanished and I am grateful towards my dad for introducing me to the sport. This led to me being committed to football throughout my childhood.

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Female

I started an athletic club at the age of 8 after being scouted by a sprints coach in my county school sports day. My dad was very active and coached the local rugby team and my older sister was already competing in athletics. My parents could see that I enjoyed doing athletics and supported me by committing to transporting me to training 5 nights a week and supporting financially by paying club fees.

Stevensons paper mentions the impact friends can have on sport involvement and in my case friends had a negative effect. Throughout secondary school none of my friends participated in sport and never understood the commitment level it took to be an aspiring athlete. The older I got the harder it was to balance the social life with training and competing but thankfully the support from my coach and parents motivated me to carry on and never give up.

I can definitely relate to Stevensons paper when mentioning the decision athletes face when evaluating the potential success that each sport offers an athlete as I always loved playing netball. Unfortunately there came a time where I couldn't balance the two sports competitively and I chose to commit to athletics 100% based on role identities and potential for success.

As I grew more competitively  within my sport I had to make the decision to change clubs. The club I originally started training with was super small and had very little financial support from the Government which meant little access to facilities. We used to train within a secondary school sports hall where no spikes or blocks were allowed and therefore my success within competitions was decreasing.
Thankfully the sponsorship from my parents allowed me to change clubs and travel an hour 5 nights a week to train in an environment where the facilities and coaches were the best I could have asked for.

The commitment I and my parents have shown towards athletics has allowed me to thrive within my sport and compete internationally for Wales. Going forward I hope to have a successful athletic career.

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Male

From a young age I was aware that my family had a strong history in regards to participation in sport. My mother had a love for physical activity growing up and would partake in various sports such as netball and hockey amongst others. Similarly my father was also physical active growing up and as a result both of my parents encouraged me to be physical active. This caused me to seek involvement in physical activity and football in particular. The reason for this was because my uncle was an active football fan and this sponsorship from a family member encouraged me to play football.

Within Stevenson's paper it is explained that some involvement in sport can be cemented in secondary school and this applied for myself. Due to the sponsorship of friends who also played football at break, I was encouraged to participate in football and realised that I enjoyed it. This commitment to the sport could be related back to an element of Stevenson's paper which discusses 'entanglements'. As I wanted to solidify my relationship with my uncle as well as friends this sponsored my involvement into football, but also increased me being involved further into the sport. This led to myself becoming a part of the school football team. Due to myself applying importance to personal relationships with family and friends, my involvement in the sport was increased. In this sense it could be suggested that my involvement in this sport was partly due to the sponsorship from my parents and friends. Furthermore, the importance I placed on personal relationships (entanglements) led to increasing my commitment and deeper involvement in the sport.

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Female

I first began to participate in sports during and throughout my time at primary school. I was heavliy involved in a range of sports such as; football, netball, handball and sports outside such as horse riding. I had a  lot of enjoyment  for sports and looked forward to them clubs/classes more than anything. I took the most interest in football from a younger age, where my dad had always  been involved in football club  and coaching, he encouraged and motivated me to join a team at 8 years old.  I also grew to enjoy the social side of football which also was another factor that made me enjoy football so much more. my dad and  uncle  used to take me over the parks to practice basic and simple drills to help me improve as a player.

Stevensons article explains how sponsors such as parents can have a Hugh impact introducing people into sports. I became committed to my football because I knew there was opportunities there and my family became even more involved with my dad managing at  the club I played at  and my mum became sectary for the club itself. Stevenson also states how siblings can be sponsers as well as parents, again my sister also enjoyed football and we begun to push each other to improve and test each others limits. At the age of 13 I really started to get confident and begun to take opportunities and play at a higher level. my commitment became much more and I became more dedicated to the sport more than I thought I could. my parents supported  me and helped me with travel so I could play and stick with it up until this day.

I therefore believe that sponsors and commitment are major factors when participating in any type of sport.

# data[].attributes.body
Male

From the early ages of my childhood, my father would take me and my older brother to the park to play football. I did not enjoy the sport because the football used to frighten me. As I grew older, I realised the sport was something I wanted to pursue. At the age of 8 years old, I joined my first football team. My parents knew I enjoyed playing football in the house so they thought I should join a football club to get me out and make friends. I would also go to watch my older brothers training sessions which allowed me to build that enthusiasm to participate in sport.  Stevenson's research has already taken place in my life by the age of 8 years old, as I have two role models that enjoy playing the sport of football. Playing for the same team for 6 years made me realise that i had to move on and build my footballing career to improve.

As I progressed, I played for a showcase team where they would play academies such as tottenham, norwich, stevenage and many more. This opened my eyes to the level that I was competing with in order to become a professional footballer. Watching football weekly and those that played in the same position as me to enhance my knowledge in that position was a lesson that I could not miss out on. after a year, at the age of 15, I joined my first semi professional team where I was able to get scouted by Ipswich Town. My commitment to the sport grows every single day, some days I think "why am i putting so much effort into this sport" some days i think, "my dreams will become a reality" but one thing I always remind myself is that I cannot give up, I have come this far and this is not the time to quit. Stevenson's research shows that an individuals environment, family can be the reason to why they participate in sport and aim to reach a high level within it.

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Female
I began netball from around the age of 7 as both of my older sisters were a part of a netball team and my mother was a netball coach, therefore I had great support and encouragement from my family. I also frequently watched my sisters playing matches and my mother coaching them too.

Because I had played for a club from such a young age I became very passionate about the sport and wanted to continue playing the sport and developing my skills. The passion for the game has stayed with me as I am now a member of the university netball team 13 years after starting the sport.

I have committed to multiple sports over the years and I am now part of the university rugby team also. This sport was a bit trickier to get into due to the lack of female role models in a male dominated sport. None of my friends or family had ever played rugby either so I was introduced to the game by a PE teacher at school. Despite not having played the game before my family were still very supportive of me as they frequently watched the men's game on TV.

My experiences have been similar to the findings from Stevenson's research as my family's participation in netball led me to play the same game from a young age. Whereas, I did not begin rugby until I was 18 due to the lack of exposure I had to the game.

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I  was first introduced to karate through an old family friend who was teaching at the time, and convinced me to join as there was no females in his team. I was nine years old and once I had my first taster session, I instantly connected with the sport. Participating for the first few years was quite intimidating as I was the youngest and the only female member of the team, leaving me with few female role models to look up to. Stevenson suggests that making a decision about athletic future is influenced by two factors, 'potential for success' and 'people' . However, the lack of female influence within the sport was not a deterrent for me. In addition, the potential success I could achieve far outweighed the 'people' factor.
I believe that as a replacement for the lack of role models within karate, I turned to my parents who have been heavily influential in my sporting career. Fortunately, they provided me with emotional and financial support which allowed me to flourish while participating. My family, friends, and teachers became a motivation factor early for me in my sporting career as they enabled me to participate in competitions. At the age of 14/15, I realised that my motivation had shifted from those around me to more personal goals that I wanted to achieve for myself, so that I could gain as much as I could from competing.
I hope to continue training in the future and to progress through the ranks. However, I have recently started training to be a karate teacher as I want to share my passion with other children, especially young girls who need a role model to look up to.

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male
I first encountered my love for football when i was in kindergarten at the age of 4. My classmates and i at the time would run around in the open fields kicking the ball as far as we could and competing to see who would get the ball back first. When i first moved to the UK at the age of 5 I fell in love with Chelsea football club because of Didier drogba who is the main reason why i started to take football seriously. Having an uncle who played professionally for Bayern Munich did also have an impact in me playing the sport as we were very close, which proves Stevensons theory  however seeing a striker like Didier Drogba play and score important goals influenced me to become a striker and implement his qualities in my game. At the age of 8 I joined my very first football club in which i achieved over 100 goals in 6 seasons. I then went on to play at a competitive college level in which scouts came to watch our games. Eventually my love for football started to fade as I experienced some emotional pain during my journey after a trial game at Watford academy 2 years ago. Since then i still play football but tell myself its just a hobby whilst family and friends tell me to take it seriously again.
My environment has always taught me to adapt to different sports just to show my versatility. Some days it was basketball,table tennis and rounders. The advantages to this was that although i was playing all these different sports, I would still be enhancing my skill level when playing football as I was improving on all fitness components. Football will always remain my first love and even when my mind tells me no my body refuses to agree especially when i see a ball in sight. My commitment to the sport has been solid since joining brunel and i have made a name for myself around here thanks to the support of my family and friends. The competitive spirit will forever live inside me.

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Male
I first started athletics in year 9 at the age of 14. My good friend at the time encourage me to visit the local athletics club and I never looked back since. Football was my first love and I had never shown much interest into sprinting even though I was naturally quick. I began to juggle both but it quickly became too demanding so I had to choose one. I quickly began to improve and started become highly ranked national. This is when I decided to quit football and take athletics seriously.
However my Dad was not too keen on me doing athletics because he didn't believe I had the talent to go far or the understanding of how the sport worked. once my dad recognised that I had some talent and could make a stamp in the sport he began to support be heavily and I owe a lot of my success to him.
Looking at Stevenson's research I agree with the point that you need to adapt to the environment you live in because sport comes with a multitude of challenges in order for one to keep up with the demands they must adapt. This relates to me because in order for me to have seen success in the athletics I had to adapt to become comfortable with the training.
The commitment I've shown towards athletics has allowed me to compete international for England and great Britain. in 2019 I became a national indoor 400m champion. It hasn't been a easy path but I'm hoping for a lot more success in the future.

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Male
Started Rugby 6, Football 10
My father is my biggest sporting influence, as regular attendance to his rugby games exposed me to sport since I can remember. From this, I can say that my father influenced me to participate in sport therefore he was my main sponsor.

I can definitely relate to Stevenson’s research as he concluded that children often play the same sport as their parents. During my early involvement in sport, my main sport was rugby as I idolized my father. I enjoyed playing it and I represented my school teams. However, over time other influences such as the secondary school I attended increased my interest in playing football as I was exposed to it much more then rugby.
 A few years into
 secondary school, I realized that I really enjoyed football and I decided  to commit playing the sport competitively. The next few years bought me much success as I had trials for England and a few football academies. Post 16, I then went on to play football semi- professionally. Exposure to my father’s sporting environment definitely influenced me to participate in sport, which allowed me to generate my love for football. Commitment to my football has been damaged due to factors such as, injuries, time and family commitments. Following university, I intend to get back into playing football
competitively at a good standard.

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Female
I was introduced to hockey through a teacher at my secondary school, who played hockey for a local hockey club; I was nearly 13 at the time. A number of my close friends already participated therefore it seemed appropriate for myself to join in. This is when I developed a passion for the sport and knew that I would ultimately play it for as long as my financial and social
situation allowed it. However neither of my parents encouraged sport, therefore it was difficult to sustain sport outside of the educational environment. 

I entered into a serious competition after I joined a local club outside of my secondary school at the age of 15. This was supported by my parents,
although it had taken many years to convince them to sponsor me to compete in a league. 

My commitment is solely towards hockey, I have not taken part in many other sports at a competitive level and this may be due to the lack of support from
my parents regarding both financial help and help with transport.